


Something’s Been Different Lately

by the_albatross



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 07:14:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15601092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_albatross/pseuds/the_albatross
Summary: just a little bit of witney smut, mostly fluff though.





	Something’s Been Different Lately

“Willam…you were quite loud last night,” Courtney said pointedly as she worked on applying her makeup for the show tonight.

The man in question looked up from the mirror he had been painting in front of and glanced back at Courtney with a slightly shamed but clearly proud smile as he replied nonchalantly, “Sorry.”

“Doubt it,” the blonde shot back in a huff. She felt utterly tense at addressing the situation with her best friend but it was something she had to do for her own sanity. Last night wasn’t the first time she’s overheard Willam’s liaisons; steadily they have become more frequent, owing in part to the fact that they had joined the same tour last month. At first she tried to ignore it but recently it had become harder and harder not to listen, particularly as Willam had started becoming quite vocal during them. The previous night had been the final straw and Courtney resolved to talk with him about it. She couldn’t stand hearing the other queen moaning and calling out other men’s names late into the night. Not as she laid in her bed next door desperately fighting the urge to cry as she did all she could to block out the noise.

Turning around at the sharp comment, Willam took in the other queen’s discomfort with a vaguely furrowed brow. It seemed unusual to him that Courtney would be so irritated by this as they had all heard more than their fair share of tour mates hooking up at all hours of the night. The two stared each other down through Courtney’s mirror but as usual, she was the first break eye contact and return to her work. Silently, Willam removed himself from the chair he had been firmly seated in and joined Courtney at her own station. He waited patiently as the other queen applied the final touches to her eyebrows before wrapping an arm around the blonde’s shoulders and pulling her close. “Hey, if it bothers you that much, just bang on the wall next time and tell us to shut the fuck up,” the younger queen joked.

Less than amused, Courtney stared up the dirty blonde with a stony expression on her half-painted face. Willam’s eyebrows raised slightly at the reaction and said semi-apologetically, “Or we could just ask to have rooms on different floors or something…”

Courtney’s icy glare immediately cracked at the thought of being further separated from her friend. Hurriedly, she dismissed that idea and offered, “We don’t have to go that far…just…maybe keep it down a little so I can tune it out with the TV?”

Willam’s smirk returned as he ruffled Courtney’s natural hair and promised, “Alright, I can work with that.”

Courtney swatted his hand away with a smile and returned to completing her makeup routine. Despite the supposed air of finality on the subject; Willam wasn’t inclined to leave Courtney’s side just yet. He openly studied the older queen until he felt the urge to blurt out, “When’s the last time you got laid, anyway?”

Courtney thanked the gods above that she hadn’t been applying her lip liner right at that second and froze in pure shock with the pencil hovering just millimeters away from her skin. She felt the blood rising to her cheeks as she stared at Willam through the mirror. Fighting the overwhelming desire to flee immediately from the dressing room, she asked cautiously, “Why do you ask?”

“That long, huh?” Willam asked, smirk wider than ever now that he had pegged the other queen’s problem.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Courtney replied hastily as she carelessly drew on her top lip. She might be read later for the sloppiness but right now all she was focused on was making herself look decent enough so that she could hide anywhere else until the show started. Before she was able to attempt the lower lip, Willam gently pulled the pencil from her hand and turned her chin up to face him.

“Come on now, it’s that bad. At least not enough to willfully booger your own makeup just to escape.”

Courtney sat in a stunned, embarrassed silence as Willam carefully evened out the liner on top and drew the bottom to proportion out the illusion. “There…a little overdrawn but you’re pretty again.”

“Thanks,” Courtney mumbled shamefully as she turned away to find the right shade of lipstick amongst her strewn supplies.

“Use this one,” Willam said as he plucked one from the pile and handed it to her. Courtney’s eyes shot to Willam’s then down to the hand extended towards her before hesitantly accepting the tube. While she ran the color over her lips, Willam pressed on with his inquiry, “I didn’t mean anything by it, Court…You just seem a little…wound up lately, I guess.”

“Its been awhile…” Courtney admitted vaguely. She remembered every detail of when she last had sex; who it was with, what had happened during and after…what it made her realize…But that was none of Willam’s business and she intended to keep it that way.

“Thought so,” Willam trailed off. Courtney took the reprieve from questioning to rush through the remaining steps needed to become the Courtney Act everyone expected to see that night. She was moments away from pinning in her hair and running out the door when Willam placed a gentle hand on her upper arm. It took all she had not to shiver at the contact as she listened to Willam apprehensively asking her, “Why don’t you join me tonight?”

Her jaw dropped slightly as she choked out several incoherent syllables in a pathetic attempt to create a proper sentence.

“And some trade I’m hooking up with after the meet and greet,” Willam added quickly before muttering to himself with an eye-roll, “He’s already seen what I look like; I bet he’d jump at the chance to fuck someone prettier.”

Courtney fought the urge to grab Willam and shake him for talking down on himself. Every time she heard Willam insulting himself or giving himself a back-handed compliment, her heart broke a little. But all she could bring herself to do at the moment was anxiously bite her lip as she considered the proposal. She knew there were a million ways for this to blow up in her face but it had been so long…and she trusted that Willam had the best intentions by asking her.

Seeing the internal struggle play out on his best friend’s face, Willam continued on, “Don’t feel like you have to say ‘yes’ for my sake; it’s totally up to you…You could even just watch if you want and join in on whatever you feel comfortable with. I can check with him but I don’t think he’d have a problem with it.”

With a heavy sigh, Courtney took one last look at the hope in Willam’s eyes and made her decision. She nodded with a timid smile and agreed on the condition that Willam check with the man first before fully committing. The grin Willam returned to her made the inevitable heartbreak almost seem worth it. Within the hour, Willam had received confirmation of the other man’s approval and proudly announced it to Courtney…as well as half of the venue’s staff as the queens made their way to the stage for their performance. If she had to be honest with herself, Courtney had wished multiple times throughout the waiting period that the unknown trade would refuse but now she seemed stuck to at least follow her friend back to their hotel room. She tried her best to remain optimistic for what lay ahead for the remainder of the night but not even Willam’s giddy excitement could ease the growing queasiness in her stomach.

****************************  
Following the end of the show, the queens did a quick touch up to their faces for the meet and greet and then rushed back to the hotel once the final fan had left. Courtney had not thought to ask Willam to describe the mystery man prior to meeting him but one look around the hotel lobby and she easily picked out Willam’s target for the night. He was tall, tan and clearly hit the gym more often than most; in short, he was 100% Willam’s type. At a glance, Courtney might’ve even found him attractive not so long ago but tonight her mind was on another man she’d rather have.

Willam let the two introduce themselves, seemingly learning for the first time that the man’s name was Marco, and led the way back to his room. Marco was less than subtly checking out the queens as they walked a few paces in front of him and left little doubt that he internally licking his lips at what the night held for him. Despite the easy going nature he displayed in the lobby, Courtney still felt uncomfortable and slightly out of place as he followed behind them. Willam glanced over to her friend and pulled her close to whisper excitedly in her ear, “I did good, huh? Just wait till you see his dick! He sent me a pic last night and ooh, bitch, I damn near drove myself the 6 hours it took to get here.”

Courtney gave the other queen an awkward smile and remained silent. Somewhere in the back of her mind a tiny voice was screaming at her to just go back to her own room and let herself cry herself to sleep; whatever happened tonight wouldn’t be worth the pain tomorrow. But she told Willam she’d join…so she’d at least put up a good front during the night’s escapades. As they turned down the final hallway, Willam uncapped the bottle of poppers around his neck and took a deep whiff. She blinked her eyes as the familiar sensation took over her body and offered the bottle to Courtney who declined with a polite shake of her head.

Brushing off the refusal, Willam asked gleefully, “Been awhile since we shared one, huh? What’s it been, 5 months?” and noticeably sped up as the room came into view.

“Sounds about right…” Courtney replied vaguely as she watched her friend whip out the card key and open the door with an air of heavy practice. She knew exactly how long ago they had last spent the night together with some common trade; 5 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days…Courtney remembered all too well what had happened…The night was typical for them; show, meet and greet, then out to have a little fun at a nearby club. They had just enough to drink to make the idea of having a threesome before an early flight the next morning seem like the most brilliant plan of the century. They bickered back and forth for a good 20 minutes over who they would take to bed with them but finally they settled on a what seemed to be a happy medium; a verse top just a few years younger than them with an open mind and a beautifully toned body. It took less convincing (and alcohol) than they thought to lure him back to Willam’s room, especially considering that by that point it would be generous to say they had looked anything like the gorgeous queens that would appear in tomorrow’s Instagram photos of the show. All the same, the man eagerly allowed himself to be enveloped by the queens on either side of him. Hell, he even encouraged them to have some fun with each other as well and that was the moment Courtney pegged as the beginning of her descent into perpetual heartache.

They had kissed often enough before, even had gone so far as to give one another a handjob when they got too wound up on the road. But that night when they kissed something felt…off. Courtney blamed the alcohol for a serious case of beer-goggles because even with his smeared lipstick, glittery eye shadow extending down his cheeks, and painted eyebrows half wiped off; Willam still looked amazing to her. She wanted to tear the other queen’s wig off, run her fingers through his natural curls and kiss him till there wasn’t a trace of lipstick between the two of them. But she quickly pushed the thought away and focused her sight back on their one night stand. The queens took their turn with him and he basked in the attention he received from them.

Courtney had her chance first and was left utterly satisfied, at least physically. Usually when they would share for the night, as soon as one queen was finished, she’d excuse herself to clean up and often times would remain in the bathroom or at least out of sight as the other had their fun. They might switch back once or twice for a second round but once they actually began fucking, that was the cue for the other to keep their distance. That night Courtney dared to cross the line. She remained on the bed and watched as Willam laid on his back taking every inch of the nameless man and begged for more. Something in that moment broke down the wall Courtney had unknowingly built and she wanted nothing more than to be the one making Willam scream for her. Without thinking about it, she had climbed over top of Willam and kissed him. Far from being repulsed by the behavior, he pulled Courtney in closer and ran his hands over every inch of skin he could reach. Courtney broke their lip lock with a sharp gasp as she felt Willam’s hand wrapped around her and pump in time with man thrusting into him.

He was coming apart beneath her as he neared his own release but instead of the previous moans of broken syllables, he seemed to have only one name stuck to his lips; hers. As he was drawn closer and closer to the edge, she marked her territory on his skin, painting his neck and chest with the remainder of her lipstick and with what would later develop into noticeable hickies the next morning. With a final cry of her name, Willam came and shuddered violently beneath her but never loosening his grip. Seeing him fall apart so completely with only her in his thoughts made her wish more than anything that she had been the one inside him. But all the wishing in the world wouldn’t change the fact that it would only ever be his hand that she felt on her member and with a final cry of his name, she released onto his hand and stomach.

At some point the unknown man finished and took his leave. For the life of her, Courtney could not even remember how long it took him to cum or if he cleaned himself off before exiting. All that played through her mind was the imagery of Willam panting and moaning beneath her, cumming with her name on his lips like it was her driving him over the edge.

He had passed out less than half an hour after the session ended, barely even cleaning up and getting a pair of underwear on before collapsing between the sheets. His last act was to wrap an arm around Courtney’s waist as she leaned against the headboard in disbelief over what had happened. She wanted to run back to her room and scream at the overwhelming realization of her emotions but when she looked down at the drowsy man beside her, she found she couldn’t bear to leave his side just yet.

Pushing aside her growing worry for now, she slipped underneath the covers and pulled Willam closer to her. Though she would never bring it up with Willam (who’d deny it anyway) she swore she saw the corners of his mouth turn upwards into a small smile right before she fell into an exhausted slumber.

When she awoke a few hours later, she disentangled herself from her sleepy friend and made the walk of shame back to her own room but not before turning out the lights Willam had left on in preparation for the inevitable hangover he’ll have the next morning. At best she would only have enough time for an hour or two more of sleep before having to get both Willam and herself checked out in order to make it to their flight on time so she decided to take the chance to work out exactly what made her act the way she had during that supposedly NSA hookup.

Willam had always held a special place in her group of friends. Despite the constant teasing, he did show genuine concern for her when she needed it. Emotions were not his strong suit but the effort he made to help meant all the world to her. Besides that, he was just plain fun to be around. He could always make her laugh even on the shittiest days and despite the questionable situations they found themselves in, he never intentionally did anything to put her in danger. He was both her escape and her grounding in reality; they brought out the best and worst in each other and weren’t afraid to call each other out on their bullshit. To put it bluntly, they fit together like yin and yang. They certainly could function on their own but when brought together they offered the perfect counterbalance to each other’s personalities.

Yet despite how it looked on paper, there was still the reality of their working life that made the idea of a relationship seem entirely irresponsible at best. Courtney knew this but that did nothing to alleviate her feelings and she was quite certain Willam did not return them in the any capacity. It could be argued that his jabs at her were nothing more than an adult version of the playground teasing a child did towards their crush but Courtney very much doubted it. No one was immune to his taunting once they became close enough with him; it was pretty much his default form of communicating with those he cared about. That fact alone almost made the situation more bearable; knowing she had no chance with him and thus little opportunity to fuck up what they already had provided some relief from the ever increasing anxiety that accompanied her thoughts on the situation. But although that part of the equation provided some solace, it did nothing to stop the jealousy and hurt that sprang up when she happened to overhear his frequent hookups. He was just as happy to spill the details the next day even as her responses grew increasingly more bitter. Even the morning following their mutual tryst, he ignored the pounding in his head in order to ecstatically compare notes with her of what they could both remember.

“And damn, Court! You really did a number on my chest! Looks like someone attacked me with a fucking vacuum.” She knew he was exaggerating for comedy’s sake but even through the layer of makeup he had used to cover the most visible marks, she saw she had in fact left quite an impression on his skin. She tried to feel guilty about it, she truly wanted to, but again the thought of marking her territory worked its way back into her mind even though she knew it would never be true.

That had been the last time she had sex but certainly not the only time she tried. Immediately following their next show, Courtney wasted little time in finding another man to spend the night with. She quickly found a willing participant and eagerly led him back to her room. He was far from her usual type and that was exactly what she had hoped for. She wanted to forget herself in himself, begged the heavens for it even, but after 10 minutes of unsuccessful foreplay it was clear that nothing was going to happen that night that’d be worth writing home about. Instead she offered oral as something of consolation prize and parted ways with him immediately after. The same results came about when she tried again next week, as well as a few days after that. No matter who she selected, each attempt ended in relative failure leading up to going nearly six months of unwilling abstinence. To say she was frustrated at this point would be an understatement. She had a slight hope that maybe tonight something would change that but given her latest track record, it seemed unlikely.

Nearly the second the door had been closed, Willam crowded Marco against the bed. He seemed to appreciate the slightly aggressive manhandling Willam displayed as he sat him of the edge of the mattress and carefully pulled down the zipper. Courtney was actually quite taken aback at how forward Willam was being tonight. Usually he took his time to tease his partners before giving them what they wanted. He loved getting them riled up, pushing them to the edge and back by denying them what they wanted until they begged for the privilege of using his body. He practically got off on the thought alone of making men crave him to the point where they were willing to sacrifice their pride for just one night of pleasure with him.

But tonight Willam went straight to the point and made it clear that he did not want to wait to begin that night’s activities. The boxers were barely out of the way before Willam had his lips wrapped around Marco. Courtney stood in shock as she watched Willam work his mouth in a way only he knew how. Her fingers twitched as she felt the familiar sting of envy pierce her heart like a needle. Part of her was angry, enough that she was tempted to walk out right then but another part yearned to stay. She felt compelled to watch; it would be the closest she could get to the real thing while still staying safe in the protective bubble she had created. Tonight she would allow herself to be a voyeur, simply taking in the sights while staying behind their unspoken boundary this time.

As Willam focused on his own task, Courtney settled into a nearby chair and remained out of his line of sight. Marco however made it a point to watch her rather than the one currently servicing him. He gave her a small smirk and slid his fingers through Willam’s faux blonde locks. He slowly pulled away to remind the other man, “Watch the hair…”

Instantly Marco turned on the charm and offered an apology. He smiled down at Willam who spun on his knees to ask Courtney, “Want a turn?”

Courtney’s eyes shot from Marco then down to Willam as a light pink tinted her cheeks. She timidly shook her head and replied softly, “No, I’m fine.”

Willam nodded and turned his attention back to Marco for another minute before pulling off with a loud final ‘pop’. He stood up to whisper something in Marco’s ear and was met with an ardent grin. The two eagerly discarded their clothes as Willam dug through his suitcase for the lube and condoms he always seemed to keep on hand. As he returned to the bed, Marco crashed his lips to Willam’s for a brief moment before asking huskily in his ear, “How do you want it?”

Courtney saw a fleeting look of hesitation pass across Willam’s face and leant forward in curiosity. Willam had never faltered in front of her before. Even when he knew something was a terrible idea, if he thought there was even the slightest chance things might work out, he’d plow right along all the way up to the moment where it blew up in his face. That stubborn optimism was one of the qualities she had found so endearing about him but tonight she wished more than ever that he would listen to his sense of reason and call it quits. But that was not Willam’s way and he flickered his eyes back to Courtney’s for a brief moment before answering, “I want to watch her…”

She felt her cheeks burning and a surge of pleasure shot straight to groin. Her eyes connected with Willam’s as he positioned himself on hands and knees facing her direction while Marco slipped on the condom. As soon as the first lubed finger pressed at his entrance, his teeth caught his lower lip in anticipation of what was to come. Again, a wave of jealousy washed over Courtney but watching Willam’s face contort in pleasure as Marco prepped him was almost worth it. The soft noises of pleasure that escaped Willam were like music to her ears. If she could be the one eliciting them, she would gladly listen for the rest of her life.

Marco continued to stretch him until he easily took three fingers and was nearly begging for something more. Taking the cue, Marco withdrew the digits and lined himself up with Willam’s entrance. Courtney forced down a thick swallow as Marco carefully guided himself in and drew out a satisfied moan from the man beneath him. He paused his movements until Willam adjusted to the change, then made quick work of setting a fitting pace for both of them.

Through it all, Courtney never took her eyes off Willam. She felt a rush of shame develop in the pit of her stomach as she slipped a hand beneath her dress and palmed herself through the thin panties she had worn. Part of her hated the way she was getting so worked up at the sight of her best friend being fucked by another man but it was hard not to react when he was making such a show of it. With a glazed look in his eyes, Willam purposefully dropped his gaze down to Courtney’s hidden hand. In a breathless voice, he begged her to come over and like a puppy eager to please, she was out of her seat before the final syllable passed his lips.

Balancing himself on one hand, he reached up to grab the front of Courtney’s dress and pull her down to his level. He brought his lips close to hers but paused once he got within an inch of touching them. He was panting heavily now with each graze over his prostate and struggled to find the right words to speak. Daring to bridge the gap, Courtney crashed her lips to his in a manner so frenzied she inwardly cringed at her own desperation. Willam made no effort to rebuke the action and kept the fabric of her dress clutched tightly in his hand. The two held the heated lip lock as long as they could until a lack of air forced them to separate in order to catch their breath. Recovering quickly, Courtney leant back in to begin again but halted as Willam released her from his grip. Clumsily, he traced his hand down to her thigh and paused at the hemline. “C-Can I-” Willam gasped between thrusts.

Courtney’s eyes blew wide open as she realized what he was offering and fervently nodded her head. Willam gave a small smile and struggled with his free hand to pull the panties aside. If Courtney had been in any clearer of a head space she would have helped but at the moment she too overwhelmed at the situation to be of much use other than to simply stand there. They held each other’s gaze as Willam carefully slid himself down on her length. Even with the force of the man slamming into him, Willam made sure not to hurt Courtney. Earlier his focus had been solely on how good he could look while sucking off his partner, but with her he only cared about what gave her the most pleasure. Whatever she reacted to, he made sure to repeat it tenfold and within moments she was left an absolute mess in his hands. The mere fact that he was so concerned with making sure she enjoyed herself as well tonight left Courtney feeling weak at the knees.

Throwing aside any remaining notion that this night could remain emotion-free; Courtney lightly traced her fingers along Willam’s cheek and finally allowed herself to get lost in his sinful blue eyes. She wanted to take in every detail of this moment because she knew it would not happen again. As Courtney grew closer, she whispered out a shaky warning to Willam. He slowly pulled off and gave her a few more pumps before she lost it and released onto his chest. It was just as well that she had finished so quickly, neither of the other men would last much longer. As Willam came, he moaned out Courtney’s name and drew her back in for another sloppy kiss while he rode out his orgasm. Marco finished shortly after and carefully withdrew from Willam.

The instant Willam felt the other man slide off the bed, he pushed himself into a kneeling position to kiss Courtney more easily. He cupped her face in his hands as though she were the most sacred object in the world and pulled her close enough to be left tilting precariously over the edge of the bed. Courtney placed a firm hand on his shoulder and used the other to balance herself as she guided them down onto the mattress. They stayed locked in that position for several moments before Willam reluctantly excused himself to clean up. As he disappeared into the bathroom, a flood of emotions washed over Courtney. Her head started throbbing as she instantly started analyzing everything that had happened since the door had closed less than hour earlier. Feeling numb, she re-positioned herself at the edge of the mattress and buried her face in her hands. 

Slowly she was getting lost in her own thoughts but an unexpected presence directly in front of her brought her attention back to reality. Confused, she looked up to find Marco hovering far too close for comfort. She would have thought he’d have left by now but it seems he had been watching their exchange and waited patiently for an opening. Now that Willam was out of sight, he turned his full attention to Courtney and immediately she felt small and weak under his gaze. With little regard for her personal space, he ran his fingers down her cheek and asked if she wanted her turn with him as well. She tried her best to suppress a shudder but the glint in his eyes was unsettling. Politely, she declined and prayed he would take a few steps back.

Disregarding the refusal, he continued to try and persuade her with his superficial charm, “You sure? Your friend had a good time…”

“N-No, really,” she stuttered while trying to lean away from him, “I was just watching tonight, that’s it.”

“I bet I could change your mind if you give me a shot…I know you would make it worth my while.”

It was at this point Willam decided he had overheard more than enough and swiftly reemerged from the bathroom to survey the scene. His eyes narrowed as he took in Courtney’s undeniable discomfort and shot a pointed glare in Marco’s direction. Staring down the other man, Willam slipped onto the bed behind Courtney and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He pressed a reassuring kiss to her cheek and whispered a confident, “I’ll handle this,” into her ear.

With a sarcastic smile, he nuzzled against Courtney and bluntly addressed the unwanted man in front of them, “I think we’re done here, right Court?”

Before either of the other two could respond, Willam pulled off his wig and and smiled sweetly at the startled man. Courtney almost wanted to laugh at the comical expression that played over his face but she was too overcome by relief that he now wasted no time in leaving. Willam arched a mocking eyebrow at the lightning speed in which Marco redressed himself and innocently asked, “Don’t you want to wash up first?”

Blatantly ignoring the two queens, Marco grabbed his remaining belongings and stumbled out into the hallway. Willam rushed off the bed to lock the door after him but hesitated before slowly turning to face Courtney again. Guilt was written all over his face as sat beside Courtney and dropped his shoulders in defeat. Courtney could see the sincerity in his eyes as he softly apologized, “Court…I’m really sorry…I didn’t think he’d be-”

“Willam…” Courtney interrupted, “It’s okay, I know you meant well when you asked.”

Willam nervously shifted his eyes down to his lap and picked at the glue still stuck to his nails. “Really though…I wanted you to have a good time…I know there’s been something different with you.” He paused to take a deep breath and shakily reached over to place his hand over hers. He drew his gaze back to Courtney’s and firmly told her, “If you want to talk…I’m here. I won’t judge.”

Courtney gave a rueful smile and replied, “I know you wouldn’t, Bill.” She leant against him taking in everything from his smell, the light dampness of his skin, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed…even how she swore she could almost hear his heart beating faster as she buried her face in his neck. He ran his thumb over her hand and waited patiently for a signal on what more he could do. All she wanted at the moment was just to sit with him in silence while she worked up the courage to speak again. Her lip quivered as she swallowed her pride and whispered against his skin, “I really like you.”

Her head began to cloud as she felt a twitch in his hand and heard the halting confusion in his voice when he responded back, “I like you too, Court.”

A broken laugh escaped her as she pulled away to face him. He really doesn’t get it. Tears were beginning to sting her eyes but she wiped them away and plastered on a remorseful smile. “No, I mean I-” She cut herself off as they locked eyes and suddenly found that any remnant of confidence she once held had now escaped with a single look from him. His eyes showed genuine concern for her but also revealed how he was struggling to grasp what she was trying to confess. She felt so vulnerable and helpless around him and she hated that. Words had always come so easily to her before but he managed to take all of that away without realizing it.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she cupped his face with her free hand desperately prayed to any deity listening that he would finally understand. A voice she hardly recognized as her own cracked as she whispered, “Bill…I like you.”

His eyes darted across her face and she saw the gears in his head had finally started turning. A wave of realization noticeably passed over his face and she never felt more relieved or scared as when she saw him coming to terms with what she had just told him. A deep blush rose to his cheeks as he stared at her dumbstruck. The longer he remained silent, the more she felt her resolve shrink away until there was nothing left. It was obvious he didn’t feel the same and was trying to think of a way to let her down easy. She felt so stupid for trying; she should have just kept it to herself like she had before. She bolted off the bed as tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to spill over any second. She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle his sympathy if he saw.

“Shane!”

She stopped dead in her tracks as she felt her hand being engulfed by his. It felt like her heart stopped beating as she was spun around and pulled into Willam’s arms. He held her tightly as though she were the last lifeline he had before falling into the abyss. The tears finally escaped as he asked her, “You mean it?”

Courtney stared at him incredulously before laughing out, “Yes!”

She swore she had never seen a smile brighter than the one he gave her as he warned, “I’m really not the smartest choice, you know.”

“That’s okay,” she replied as he delicately wiped her cheeks free of tears, “Neither am I.”


End file.
